imbe@aol.com
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 22, 2001
- Messages
- 371
The Grand was "put to the test" this trip for me, since I split my stay between here and AKL. How'd it do .. how did it "match up"?
Favorably .. and .. it still comes out on top for me.
Don't get me wrong - yes I DID like AKL. It's a beautiful resort. BUT .. though I understand the appeal of it's remoteness to some, that isn't quite so appealing to me. I guess I'm just not used to having to depend on bus service for anywhere I want to go, and THAT is the main thing I didn't like about AKL. It was my experience that pretty much every time, with the exception of I think once, we had to wait for buses, to or from a park. Sure, you have to wait for a monorail once in a while too from the Grand, but .. maybe 2 min for that, not the 15-20 that seemed to be the average at AKL for a bus.
Also about AKL .. except for one person - Juanita - I was not impressed with their concierge service. I had VERY high expectations, knowing that Beau from the GF was running the show there now. I can't believe I'm actually going to write this! LOL but .. I was downright disappointed in him. Despite the fact that I've had numerous contacts with Beau over the past few years, I NEVER had phone calls to him returned prior to THIS trip, nor did I have requests to speak to him answered while there .. didn't see him either. All I'd wanted to do was just comment on the resort! Not complain! LOL I know that I've read simply glowing reviews of him & his staff here .. but ..not from me I'm afraid.
I was also not happy with the housekeeping for the most part, at AKL. Used washclothes were left balled up in the corner of the shower for 2 days; dirty dishes left in the room, and in the hallways I noticed, outside others rooms, for a whole day! The floors in the bathrooms were never done too thoroughly at all. And let me say that I do not leave rooms a big mess either, so it's not as if they were overwhelmed when they came in to clean! LOL Did I comment on this to the hotel while there? Yes, I did .. but it didn't get any better.
Let me also state though, that I DO know the hotel is new, kinks are probably still being worked out .. so I will cut them some slack. Would I stay here again? mmmm ... yes, probably. BUT .. IF I did, and if it were at the tail end of a long trip like this one, I would just be sure that I'd completely finished with the other parks, except for AK, BEFORE coming here .. thus avoiding the whole bus hassle for the most part. AKL is a great place for a getaway, relax in the sun, do just a little park time.
About the Grand ....
The rennovated rooms are lovely! yet somehow .. I kind of miss the old decor! LOL I think it's just that I'd gotten so used to it. One disappointment was finding that the wonderful, plush robes that used to be in the rooms (and that I'd long ago purchased and use at home) are no more - they've been replaced with the waffle weave, spa style robes. They're fine, but .. not the same. Also, child's robes weren't available. I cannot remember if they said they were gone for good, or they were just out of them at the time.
The only other 'thing' I had with the Grand was a REAL mix up, mistake, on their part with some phone messages - important ones!!!!! - that I never received. To make a long story short, I was to have met a friend for dinner on my birthday, met to give her some Cirque tickets I had for her, and possibly met up some other times too, for "park time" with our families. She'd called to confirm with me .. I wasn't there, so she left messages with the desk .. but I NEVER got any of them .. which led to ME thinking she 'blew me off' and her thinking the same of me! LOL
It wasn't until I got home and read emails that I realized what had happened. I promptly called the Grand and spoke with a contact I have there. All I wanted to do was make them aware of the situation, and I did. They apologized profusely, and Jamie said she would pass the information on to the GM. They just need to take more care with such things, that's all.
I think that's about it! One last note will be about the Grand Plan.
Judi
Favorably .. and .. it still comes out on top for me.
Don't get me wrong - yes I DID like AKL. It's a beautiful resort. BUT .. though I understand the appeal of it's remoteness to some, that isn't quite so appealing to me. I guess I'm just not used to having to depend on bus service for anywhere I want to go, and THAT is the main thing I didn't like about AKL. It was my experience that pretty much every time, with the exception of I think once, we had to wait for buses, to or from a park. Sure, you have to wait for a monorail once in a while too from the Grand, but .. maybe 2 min for that, not the 15-20 that seemed to be the average at AKL for a bus.
Also about AKL .. except for one person - Juanita - I was not impressed with their concierge service. I had VERY high expectations, knowing that Beau from the GF was running the show there now. I can't believe I'm actually going to write this! LOL but .. I was downright disappointed in him. Despite the fact that I've had numerous contacts with Beau over the past few years, I NEVER had phone calls to him returned prior to THIS trip, nor did I have requests to speak to him answered while there .. didn't see him either. All I'd wanted to do was just comment on the resort! Not complain! LOL I know that I've read simply glowing reviews of him & his staff here .. but ..not from me I'm afraid.
I was also not happy with the housekeeping for the most part, at AKL. Used washclothes were left balled up in the corner of the shower for 2 days; dirty dishes left in the room, and in the hallways I noticed, outside others rooms, for a whole day! The floors in the bathrooms were never done too thoroughly at all. And let me say that I do not leave rooms a big mess either, so it's not as if they were overwhelmed when they came in to clean! LOL Did I comment on this to the hotel while there? Yes, I did .. but it didn't get any better.
Let me also state though, that I DO know the hotel is new, kinks are probably still being worked out .. so I will cut them some slack. Would I stay here again? mmmm ... yes, probably. BUT .. IF I did, and if it were at the tail end of a long trip like this one, I would just be sure that I'd completely finished with the other parks, except for AK, BEFORE coming here .. thus avoiding the whole bus hassle for the most part. AKL is a great place for a getaway, relax in the sun, do just a little park time.
About the Grand ....
The rennovated rooms are lovely! yet somehow .. I kind of miss the old decor! LOL I think it's just that I'd gotten so used to it. One disappointment was finding that the wonderful, plush robes that used to be in the rooms (and that I'd long ago purchased and use at home) are no more - they've been replaced with the waffle weave, spa style robes. They're fine, but .. not the same. Also, child's robes weren't available. I cannot remember if they said they were gone for good, or they were just out of them at the time.
The only other 'thing' I had with the Grand was a REAL mix up, mistake, on their part with some phone messages - important ones!!!!! - that I never received. To make a long story short, I was to have met a friend for dinner on my birthday, met to give her some Cirque tickets I had for her, and possibly met up some other times too, for "park time" with our families. She'd called to confirm with me .. I wasn't there, so she left messages with the desk .. but I NEVER got any of them .. which led to ME thinking she 'blew me off' and her thinking the same of me! LOL
It wasn't until I got home and read emails that I realized what had happened. I promptly called the Grand and spoke with a contact I have there. All I wanted to do was make them aware of the situation, and I did. They apologized profusely, and Jamie said she would pass the information on to the GM. They just need to take more care with such things, that's all.
I think that's about it! One last note will be about the Grand Plan.
Judi
